Students in my 2011-2012 8th period playwriting class at Flushing High School collaborated on an original musical. They devised characters and scenarios before settling on a plot outline. They wrote scene sketches before writing the full dialogue of the show. Before tackling the daunting task of penning original lyrics, students listened to and analyzed songs from musicals to better inform their writing. The result was a 40+ page script complete with seven original songs.
Students in my Theater of the Oppressed class used New York Times articles, original research, activities from the cultural organization World Savvy, and theatrical techniques developed by Augusto Boal to create two original productions. One focused on domestic life and the other focused on global sustainability. The second piece was performed at the state-of-the-art LaGuardia Community College Performing Arts Center Little Theater.
Some of my students have been using an animation site called "xtranormal" to animate their scripts and screenplays. Example:
You may also follow this link to a humorous piece on student attendance that I created.
P.S. 36
At P.S. 36, 4th and 5th grade students elect to study fine art, music (band), dance, or drama in-depth, which means 2x per week all year. Students in drama write and produce original films and theatre presentations. In class, there is an emphasis on research, writing and editing, vocabulary building, acting, and technical theater.
The following are PDF and mp3 files of student work.
"Untitled," current draft of 5th grade musical, 2011
Links to songs in 4th grade musical 2010
"Wake Up"
"They Don't Really Care About Us"
"Feels Like Prison"
"BFF Forever"
"Why Blame Me"
William E. Grady Technical High School
11th and 12th Grade ELA through Screenwriting Class
This class used GoogleDocs to write and edit screenplays and PSAs. There was an emphasis on developing a story, screenplay formatting, comparing and contrasting prose/scripts/screenplays, and active use of technology, specifically GoogleDocs and film clips. This is a PDF file of a student screenplay,
This website was used by the class to receive and post homework, write and respond to blogs, and receive announcements and deadlines. Students could also email me with questions, comments, and concerns.
Here is an example student blog and anonymous class comments:
When people hear the names Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, they always think of non-violent protesting leaders and heroes. Their names will be remembered forever. People will honor what they done and remember what they said. “I have a dream” the speech is so important to American history. Rosa Parks, the mother of the civil rights movement. When everyone gave up the seats to the white people but she is the only one didn’t. Martin Luther gave up his life to fight for the rights that people should have. It made himself in danger for others. A hero always thinks for others before himself.
Martin Luther king was influenced by Gandhi and it made him believe in non-violence. He told people not to fight for civil right in the physical way. Back in time, Martin Luther King influenced teenagers to get on a protest. Thousand of teens join and get arrested. When there were too much “prisoner’, the police station didn’t have enough space. The president of that time, John F. Kennedy noticed that people should have equal right. So he announced in T.V that people in America is equal. That is he effect when teens get involved. Now in the present, there is still problem and issue among the earth, we need to be united and overcome them.
-What do you think if there were no Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks?
-Do you think non-violent protesting is the best way? Why? Why not? Do you think there is another effective way to get what you want?
Blizzard Buffalo: Non violent is the best weapon in the whole world in my opinion! I Did experiment with it too! Anger and voilent can only led to the destruction but not to the real solution. Think carefully, when you interact someone with anger and politely, >>> which make big difference and have more advantage? obviously politeness(nonvoilent). Therefore, support non-violent cuz it’s not only a good weapon but a good solution! <<<
Pink Lionit’s without any question the best weapon that the world have, but the best weapon is not always the weapon that could get the job done. “shooting is not a bad thing as long as the right people get shot only” i heard this from a movie and i >>> agree with it. violence become a bad thing when people do it for fun money or power, but if kill one means saving a nation or more then violence is nothing but a way out of suffering. it like God says, don’t kill animals to eat, unless it is to survive. we should not use violence to eat, but if we have to use it to survivr or save lives, then its the way to go. <<<
Blizzard Buffalo: Use voilence cost trouble from both side. Using violence do not solve the problem once for all because it cause nothing but a hatrate which will last long untill there is peace and have justice(only thorugh peace) to both side.
Mahogany Mule: yah i got ur point u have same thought as mine but not really a controvercial issue i sometime feel that people are fighting beacuase they want to protact themself but oponiently i figured out that fightinng and creating a dristruction doesn’t >>> bring any peace among people. for example when two country fight they both have same feelings of threat n anger and distructive. inreality they doesn’t any peace inside of them. <<<
Blizzard Buffalo: If there is no martin lurther king or rosa parks.. the whole human race might be in danger. Obviously, racist/descrimination is the thing that we talking about here. It not only could be them which we depending on. We, ourself could make a change. >>> They are not god or spiritual or socerrer or any thing, they just a normal people like us who are strong enough to hold done on their dreams and determination no matter what. <<<
Mahogany Mule: well, i know that Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks had done a great job for our country and for the world people. i know that they fought for non-violance and tried to find a peace among people. however, i want to clarify with ma opinion ever >>> since, they start to find the peace and support non-violance. after their death, there are some people who follow the same compassion for the world to gain peace and non-violance. one man only came in ma mine His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama a religious leader who still a live and struggle for a peace among people and non-violance. he himself march for peace and go to every country and give the same speech about peace for the world and stop war for non-violance. In his religious teaching he always mentioned that if there is a peace there will be enlightenment to every creatures in the world. <<<
Student Produced Videos
Broadcast 36, created by broadcast journalism students at P.S. 36, Staten Island
I have several student produced videos and projects that have yet to be uploaded. Some of the videos I can only show privately due to parental or student request. Feel free to contact me to arrange a viewing.
Samples of Student Work
Student Writing
Flushing High School
Students in my 2011-2012 8th period playwriting class at Flushing High School collaborated on an original musical. They devised characters and scenarios before settling on a plot outline. They wrote scene sketches before writing the full dialogue of the show. Before tackling the daunting task of penning original lyrics, students listened to and analyzed songs from musicals to better inform their writing. The result was a 40+ page script complete with seven original songs.
High School As We Know It Script
Songs (piano version): Just Love Her (Maria) and Be Yourself (closing song)
Flyers for High School As We Know It
Teacher in-class discussion questions for High School As We Know It
Students in my Theater of the Oppressed class used New York Times articles, original research, activities from the cultural organization World Savvy, and theatrical techniques developed by Augusto Boal to create two original productions. One focused on domestic life and the other focused on global sustainability. The second piece was performed at the state-of-the-art LaGuardia Community College Performing Arts Center Little Theater.
Some of my students have been using an animation site called "xtranormal" to animate their scripts and screenplays. Example:
You may also follow this link to a humorous piece on student attendance that I created.
P.S. 36
At P.S. 36, 4th and 5th grade students elect to study fine art, music (band), dance, or drama in-depth, which means 2x per week all year. Students in drama write and produce original films and theatre presentations. In class, there is an emphasis on research, writing and editing, vocabulary building, acting, and technical theater.
The following are PDF and mp3 files of student work.
"Untitled," current draft of 5th grade musical, 2011
“Jungleville”, 4th grade puppet play 2011
"Wake Up", 4th grade musical 2010
4th grade lyrics, 2010
Links to songs in 4th grade musical 2010
"Wake Up"
"They Don't Really Care About Us"
"Feels Like Prison"
"BFF Forever"
"Why Blame Me"
William E. Grady Technical High School
11th and 12th Grade ELA through Screenwriting Class
This class used GoogleDocs to write and edit screenplays and PSAs. There was an emphasis on developing a story, screenplay formatting, comparing and contrasting prose/scripts/screenplays, and active use of technology, specifically GoogleDocs and film clips. This is a PDF file of a student screenplay,
Brooklyn International High School
The following is a link to the 12th Grade college-bound English class website, created through AfterClass, a program by School Fusion.
shields.brooklyn.afterclass.net
This website was used by the class to receive and post homework, write and respond to blogs, and receive announcements and deadlines. Students could also email me with questions, comments, and concerns.
Here is an example student blog and anonymous class comments:
Blog: Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Non-Violence: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks
by HanQi
Class C
When people hear the names Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, they always think of non-violent protesting leaders and heroes. Their names will be remembered forever. People will honor what they done and remember what they said. “I have a dream” the speech is so important to American history. Rosa Parks, the mother of the civil rights movement. When everyone gave up the seats to the white people but she is the only one didn’t. Martin Luther gave up his life to fight for the rights that people should have. It made himself in danger for others. A hero always thinks for others before himself.
Martin Luther king was influenced by Gandhi and it made him believe in non-violence. He told people not to fight for civil right in the physical way. Back in time, Martin Luther King influenced teenagers to get on a protest. Thousand of teens join and get arrested. When there were too much “prisoner’, the police station didn’t have enough space. The president of that time, John F. Kennedy noticed that people should have equal right. So he announced in T.V that people in America is equal. That is he effect when teens get involved. Now in the present, there is still problem and issue among the earth, we need to be united and overcome them.
-What do you think if there were no Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks?
-Do you think non-violent protesting is the best way? Why? Why not? Do you think there is another effective way to get what you want?
Student Produced Videos
Broadcast 36, created by broadcast journalism students at P.S. 36, Staten Island
Episode 1: November 11, 2010
Episode 2: November 25, 2010
Episode 3: December 9, 2010
Episode 4: January 2011
I have several student produced videos and projects that have yet to be uploaded. Some of the videos I can only show privately due to parental or student request. Feel free to contact me to arrange a viewing.
Character Captain
Cultural Connection
Who I am as a Reader